How To Train Your Lusus 2
by ugh
Summary: In this second installment of How to Train Your Lusus, things are going great! About month has passed since Terezi and Karkat defeated Mindfang and sent her ass to jail where she awaits execution. However, the Grand Highblood wants to assume control of Alternia, and wants to use lusi to do it... including dragons. (heavily inspired by HTTYD2)
1. Prologue

"I have done what you ordered." The large-horned, winged troll named the Summoner bowed in front of his boss, the ruler of the land-dwellers, the Grand Highblood. It's not a bow of royalty, however, but a bow of duty because after all, this is just a job. It's complicated, but he doesn't like to think on it too much. His armor weighs heavy on him, shielding his wings from attacks from said boss. He'd much rather be in his normal leather and minimal shielding like a normal troll Viking, but he has seen many of them be slaughtered mercilessly by the man sitting in the huge ass chair in front of him.

"GOOD!" the Grand Highblood bellowed. The voice echoes around the room, which is basically the carved out part of a dormant volcano. The Grand Highblood then muttered, "What of her Imperious?"

"She knows nothing, but—" The Summoner wanted to explain that he hit a snag in controlling the beastly lusus known as "Gl'bgolyb," but he was interrupted.

"ALSO GOOD!" He didn't say anything else, so this was a golden opportunity.

The Summoner straightened himself up for this. He needed to be as delicate as possible for what was bound to happen. "There is one anomaly."

"Oh?"

"At this point in time, it will only obey my orders."

"HA! I expected nothing less." Wait, he did? "YOU WILL HAVE TO TEACH ME, THEN!" There was something about the tone of his voice that said he had been already. The Summoner swallows some bile down, again trying not to think about it too much. His boss stepped off of the throne and pushes past the Summoner. The Grand Highblood's crazy hair works wonders on his general ominousness. It grew long down his back in thick braids and hasn't been washed in many sweeps. The leather he wore is almost always new, and it had a gray tint, not the usual lusus-white. The Summoner's own leather is very old and matted with dirt and dried blood he didn't bother to wash off after hunting, not a single white spot in sight. He doesn't ask and his boss doesn't elaborate.

Every time he is in the Grand Highblood's presence, The Summoner is reminded of why he took the job in the first place: he's glad he is on the winning side. As much as the situation gives him moral pause, he witnesses the result of following those morals, which is usually a death of some sort.

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

"YOU LOOKIN' FER ME?!" an angry woman yells. Even though she had lived for so long already, she still had the voice of a 7-sweep-old, and by the look of her hair and apparel, she didn't spend too much time fixing herself before charging off like a grub having a tantrum. She had her regular gold earrings and arm bands, but not nearly as much gold as she usually wears. Her Imperious Condescension is furious with what he and the Grand Highblood has planned so far. The goal was to undermine her using her own lusus. It's time the land-dwellers had a say. She held up her trident, ready to strike.

The Summoner took off his armor, then spread out his wings. It felt good to have them out every once in a while. He flew straight up, taunting the seadweller. It looks like she came without her secret army of threshecutioners today. She must have figured she could take two lowly trolls on her own.

"Yer a fuckin' traitor, GHB," she snarls. "But'cha slow in the head so I'll give ya one last time ta surrenda my lusus." Condy here gave a lease to The Grand highblood for those times when lowbloods got together and revolted. She must think they have her lusus chained up someplace. As if. The ocean is the only place that thing will even fit.

The Grand Highblood laughed long and loud. "Give me your best shot, sea bitch." He then looked up and gave the Summoner the signal. He saluted and flew to the ocean, easily assuming control again. The Glbgolyb's mind was surprisingly simple, not nearly as complex as a troll's, but it does have disturbing thoughts nonetheless. The Summoner can only dip into the parts that control consciousness. He has the enormous lusus pull part of itself ashore, the mouth part and some tentacles, which is more than enough to reach the entrance to the volcano. The Summoner followed its reach to a confused Condesce, who looked into the beast's eyes, briefly petrified.

"What in the fu—!"

Before she could finish, the lusus snatched her up and shoved her into its mouth. It spat out her trident, landing with a clang on the hard ground.

"SUMMONER!" He landed next to the Grand Highblood, who picked up the trident. "Dispose of this." And at that, he left. Such a thankless job.

The Summoner did what he was told, and followed the lusus back to the water, promptly dropping the trident offshore. He felt an odd feeling of joy as it plunked into the water. Maybe there was hope in this job after all.


	2. Chapter 1

This is Alternia. Yeah, we're troll Vikings. We take part in regular, normal activities that trolls take part in every day.

Like lusii competitions. They fight, we fight, it's a great exercise for both of us.

After my ex-guardian Mindfang tried to steal my lusus last month, my life has been a lot less self-deprecating. I can't believe I thought she was cool a sweep ago. Of course, my mind-reading lusus sees to that. She's great.

And did I mention she's a dragon?

Yeah, we have dragons here. Well, _one_ dragon. Mine. As far as I know, and as far as Pyralspite has told me, she's the last one of her type. Whatever that means. She's very private. It's aggravating, and I'm nosy, but I try not to pry.

It's hard and nobody understands.

"Terezi, what in the blazing sick fires do you think you are doing?" His voice boomed over me. Ah yes, Karkat. I didn't even have to open my eyes to smell his unique scent flowing towards me in the breeze. I picked a good tree to lay under today. The white bark is really soothing on the senses. I tried to focus on that instead of the flaming cloud poisoning my "view."

"Sleeping," I answered, smiling up at him. One of the things I wish I could see was his face when I called him something cute.

"Okay," he said, grabbing my arm and hoisting me up. "Time to get up and smell the dragon feces."

I made a face. "You're gross."

"So is your new outfit."

"My new outfit is great!" I designed it myself, as does everyone around here. I burned that fur thing that Mindfang made me. It wasn't me. I got myself some cool armor from her shop, a couple of shoulder pauldrons and a helmet I barely use. Knee poleyns didn't hurt, either. I glued some fur to those because that's the aesthetic around here. In my boredom of recovery, I made some wide leather straps that hang from my belt in the front and the back and some gloves, dying everything a deep red. They don't cover my fingers on purpose. I still like to touch things. I also traded my old, form-fitting piece of cloth for an actual tunic. It's a lot warmer, which is good because it's cold this time of sweep.

"Come on, weirdo, we're going to be late!" He's talking about today's match. Team Charge has challenged Team Bloody Mary and, "I want you to be there today."

"Aww, I pity you, too." I gave him a peck on the cheek and his face warmed up immediately. He made a half-hearted push and led me back to the village, all the way to the front row of the arena. We keep the seat warm when we watch the other compete.

Team Bloody Mary consisted of Karkat and Kanaya. It's easy for them to be in a team because they grew up together. They fight well together. Their lusii… not so much. Kanaya assures everyone that they get along, but I'm not so sure. I tried to investigate last night before the sun rose, but Kanaya caught me and kicked me out. I'm not jealous that they're living together, I'm not that petty. Vriska and I make up the Scourge Sisters, also growing up together. We had a rough patch after she found her lusus, but it's all in the past now. Team Charge was Aradia and Tavros. I have no idea why. We played as grubs sometimes but I don't really know much about them nowadays. Everyone's been accepting me now, and not because I finally have a lusus. Aradia and Tavros are nice, though, and they always have been. I think they bonded over roleplaying, and then having the smallest lusi in the village.

Usually, teams are reserved for moirails, Team Charge and Team Meowrails are perfect examples of that. Scourge Sisters and Team Bloody Mary are different because it's in our comfort zone. Sure, Kanaya bosses Karkat around and Vriska bosses me around, but…

But enough about feelings. I'm ready to see the fur fly, so to speak. We've been waiting a long time. I'm surprised the announcer hasn't said anything snarky about their punctuality yet.

That's when Aradia bursts onto the field, alone and snatching the amplifier away.

"Team Charge forfeits," she said into the cone tearfully. I could hear it in her shaky voice. I stood up suddenly, fumbling my way down there. At some point I had to use my stick because I hate stairs with a passion.

"Aradia!" I called out to her.

"Hi Terezi," she mutters.

"What's wrong? Why are you forfeiting? Where's Tavros?"

"Nothing, nothing, and he's okay. We're both okay." She continued to walk away and I continued to follow.

"You don't sound okay."

Aradia remained silent until I followed her all the way back to her hive. "My lusus is missing."

I widened my eyes. "What!?" I put my hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "Do you have any idea where she might have gone?" My investigative instincts tried very hard to take over.

Aradia just shook her head. "Yesterday I was sparring with her with the muleta and the next thing I know I was unconscious in the grass. I was out for maybe a few minutes." She began to sniffle. "She protected me from so much, and now I can't do anything for her in her time of need." I bit my tongue and gave her a light hug.

"We'll find her," I told her with confidence. "I'll help you. Me and Karkat!" I volunteered him because he has no choice. He's already one of the best around, so he could afford some down time.

"Thanks, Terezi," Aradia said, hugging back.

* * *

><p>"We're going to do <em>what<em>?" I asked in the most incredulous tone I could muster. Terezi had to be kidding. It's almost sunup and she wants to go on a hunt for Aradia's lusus? "Are you insane? The sun is coming up soon. Only idiots go out at this hour. What makes you think I'm going to go?"

"With me and Aradia of course," she interjected.

Of all the grubsniffing… "That's even worse! She's the lowest in the castes, and what on this godforsaken planet _isn't_ hazardous to her health?"

"Stop patronizing her! She's stronger than that and you know it."

She's right, that was shitty of me to say. "Well, if you really insist, I don't think I have a choice in the matter." Terezi always comes to me first when she's already decided that I have to join her on these adventures of hers. Sure I pity her, but this shaves sweeps off of my life that I'm not sure I even had in the first place. "When do we leave?"

She smiled. "Now."

I sighed. "I'll get my shit together." It's not like I was doing anything important. I should have sharpened my sickle last month, after Mindfang threatened to shatter it, and not to mention it was about as dull as Kanaya's sewing lessons.

"We don't have all night, Karkles." My eye twitched.

"Calling me names I hate isn't going to make me go faster."

"Fine!" She turned on her heel and tapped her stick to the door. "I'll be outside."

I got all my shit together and met the two girls outside. Kanaya still wasn't back yet, even though the sky was already a light gray. I put on my sun gear and whistled for my lusus, who came skittering around the house a few seconds later. I took Kanaya's advice and dug a pond for him. He's a lot happier, I think. He hasn't told me otherwise, so I assume he's satisfied.

As soon as I started to mount my lusus, Pyralspite landed next to us with a loud thud. I jumped, because I hate it when that scaly terror shows up without warning. I've never gotten used to that. It makes me wonder how Terezi deals with that. Maybe she smells her coming and braces herself.

"I'll take the low road," I stated offhandedly. "Search for tracks, et cetera."

"Good idea," Terezi said. "I'll try to see if I can get the big picture." She turned to Aradia. "You ready?"

The blood in Aradia's face drained. "What? Up there?"

"Trust me, flying is fun when you get the hang of it!" Terezi nudged Aradia. She shot me a fearful look, but I just shrugged.

"_Karkat, tell her that I won't let her fall,_" Pyralspite said out of literally nowhere. Something else I can't get used to. Talking lusii. I closed my eyes so that they couldn't see me rolling them.

"She says she won't let you fall," I told Aradia. She gives me a quizzical look. "Yes, the dragon said it. Now let's go before we waste daylight." The entire conversation already seemed like a colossal waste of time. Crabdad leaned down and let me up, and I told him which way to go.

We must have searched all day because the next thing I know, I felt like the village idiot. I asked myself what I was doing countless times.

"Mom, Pyralspite, whatever, I don't know if you can hear my thoughts, but they aren't pretty or very grub appropriate."

"_I understand, Karkat,_" she answered like she was next to me the entire time. "_I'll let Terezi know that you're giving up for today._"

"I'm not giving up!" I shouted. "It's hot and I'm tired!"

"_Would you say you're…_"

"Don't you dare, I will rip off your scales one by one!"

"_Crabby?_"

"I'm done." I reared Crabdad back and led him back to my hive. I don't have to deal with this mental torture. My thinkpan has had enough of the female variety today. "I wish you luck or whatever."

I didn't get a response, so I just went back to my hive and went right to sleep, but not without taking off my armor. I don't just immerse myself in slime without a care in the world, I'm not a barbarian.

A few hours later, I'm woken up by Terezi, thankfully at night.

"Nothing," she reported. "No evidence! No blood, no fur, no scrapes. It's like she was abducted by aliens!"

I bit my tongue before I could say anything too insensitive. "Really? Zero evidence?" I realized I was still in my pod and started getting out and putting normal clothes on.

"Well, there was something strange…" She paused, sniffing.

"Well? Are you going to tell me or am I going to have to kick you out?" I was still getting dressed as she was giving me a sniff-over, trying not to smile.

She narrowed her solid red eyes at the comment, but told me anyway. "We took a closer look in her pen and there was half a bootprint in the dried mud."

"That's it?" She nodded. I rolled my eyes. "And let me guess, you're going to continue the search tomorrow?"

"Nope."

I stopped, determining that just my boots and minimal armor were good enough. "That's not like you." Usually, she investigates until she's solved the case. Giving up after 24 hours seems really out of character.

"We enlisted Sollux and he helped us search the whole island."

"Are you sure his lusus didn't stomp out any evidence?"

"Karkat!"

"What!"

"Rude!"

I resisted the urge to claw my own eyes out.

"In any case, Aradia agreed that she's not on the island anymore, and I assured her that we won't forget to keep looking."

"We?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

She just smiled.

The next few days, we took day trips off the island on Mom and made maps to check our progress. To the uninhabited ones, we named them stupid things like nookherd and bulgehair. Big islands, small islands, and one didn't even deserve the title "island" because they looked like a floating patch of dirt. We named it "Karkat's Temper." I allowed it because it was true.

When we got home one morning, we found Tavros. It turns out he had tried to chase down Tinkerbull as he was carried off by someone or something flying him away, and ended up at the bottom of a short cliff. It wasn't very high, but enough to paralyze him from the waist down. We flew him back to town, the trip silent. Tavros probably didn't want to look weak by not crying like a wriggler but there was something about his demeanor that just screamed that he was about to lose it, and not about losing his ability to walk. I thought about my lusus, and we aren't that attached… are we? I stopped thinking about it just in time for Aradia to notice our return and freak out over her moirail. They did some bullshit shoosh-pap session before Aradia hoisted him over her shoulder and took him home.

The one person I didn't expect to be as pissed off was Vriska. She had some weird flush crush for him that seemed to pop out of nowhere.

"I'll kill 'em!" she shouted, barging into the communal mess hall. Feferi, Eridan, Nepeta, and Equius all jumped in their seats. The only one who didn't was Terezi, who kept on eating her second cluckbeast.

"Who?" Feferi asked.

"The thief! My sevenfold will be on full force in the morning, that's for sure! They're so gonna feel my wrath! I have traps set up around the pens just in case."

"How do you know that the lusii you're protecting doesn't get caught in them instead?" I asked snidely. I was basically asking for it, but she didn't take the bait.

"I have my ways," she said confidently.

I decided I'd had enough and announced I was going home, not forgetting to give Terezi a small peck on her forehead. I disgust myself at how flushed we act sometimes.

* * *

><p>"<em>Terezi, someone's coming, flying in fast.<em>" Mom's voice was urgent. "_I don't like the smell of him, either. It's a rotten orange color with a brackish aftertaste._" I shuddered at the mind picture.

"I'm on my way," I muttered softly. "Guys, my lusus says something's coming." Vriska reiterated her master plan and basically shut down my warning. I grabbed my cane and tapped out the door, leaving my dinner behind. I was almost done anyway. Karkat left only ten minutes ago, so he should be at his hive by now.

I passed by Pounce De Leon and Arthour outside the hall, keeping each other company while their partners were inside. I gave them each a pet of encouragement where I knew they liked it best: Pounce behind her ears and Arthour on his lower back. Then I set off to find Karkat.

I found him in his hive, sharpening his sickle. "Mom says someone's flying in fast."

"She told me the same thing, that's why I'm sharpening my sickle," he replied shortly.

"Did she tell you his description?"

"Every grueling detail. Do you think she's fast enough to catch him once he gets here?"

I cackled heartily. "What do you think?" I grinned. "She can take down anyone she wants. She's a fucking dragon!"

"_TEREZI!_" The sound of Mom's voice startled me for the first time since I met her. "_HE'S ABOVE YOU!_"

"Karkat! He's right above us!" I exclaimed. Immediately, he shoots up and races outside, weapon in hand. I draw my canesword and follow him out.

I get a whiff of the situation: Karkat is trying to calm his lusus, who got himself trapped in Vriska's stupid web just outside of his pond.

The figure is high above me. He's muscular but not extremely buff, his leather and armor covered in old blood that I can barely even smell. I can smell him in the purple moonlight, and he seemed brackish to his core. He looked at me, then looking at something else. Is he scouting? He floats away on rotten orange wings, believing that I was blind enough to not follow.

"_Mom, keep your distance, he's scouting, like he's hunting._"

"_I can't read him at this distance._" She needs to make eye contact to make a proper connection, and it works on blind trolls. Unfortunately, she warned me after we first met, it sometimes goes both ways. I still have no idea what that means.

I continued my trek, paying attention to literally everything because I can't see shit. Sometimes I have to duck between hives when he looks down in the slightest. "_We're nearing the communal mess hall. How fast can you get there?_" I thought about Pounce and Arthour, who aren't being protected by any pen or silly traps. I walked faster.

"_I'm just outside the arena. I can be there in seconds._"

I was about to make the order to blow him out of the sky when he suddenly takes off. I heard a sharp hiss—Pounce! Then I smelled it. A long, white tentacle.

"Mom!" I cried out, sticking up my arm. Seconds later, as promised, I was snatched up and tossed onto her back. We followed the tentacle carrying Pounce until I heard desperate whinnying. Arthour was being taken by another tentacle! It didn't drop any sea water so I assumed the tentacle was very long indeed. There's only one kind of tentacle that could be that long. Both lusii were being taken in different directions. With a pang of guilt, I chose to follow Pounce, because if I could free her, I could free Arthour.

And without even giving the order, Mom let out a fireball. Direct hit! The tentacle shuddered, but then Mom jerked to the side. I turned my head back, barely able to smell our pursuer, the orange-winged guy. His mask was menacing at this vicinity. He put his hand to his mouth and whistled again. I told mom to turn around so we could take him down, but as soon as we did, we were literally knocked out of the sky, plummeting right into the water.

By the time we resurfaced, they were long gone.

* * *

><p>The Summoner bowed once again to the Grand Highblood, not empty-handed in lusii or news.<p>

"Sir, I have some news," he reported.

"SPIT IT OUT!" the Grand Highblood bellowed.

"I have found a dragon."


	3. Chapter 2

"_Terezi, sit down and eat your meal_," mom told me about a week later we failed to get the lusii back. I was starting to get antsy. Who was that guy with the rustic orange wings? What does he want with the lusii? Who does he work for?

"This is a horrible injustice," I muttered. "First Ram-mom, then Tinkerbull, and now Pounce and Arthour!" I slammed my fist on the table, making the dishes jump.

"Terezi!" Vriska yelled. "We know! We're all antsy! We'll come up with something."

"But we had him!" I yelled back. "I'm going back." I grabbed my weapon and sun gear and walked out the door, mom following me. The sun had just set, and I was planning on being out at least all night, probably until the sun rose again. I had too much energy coursing through my veins, so I walked all the way to Karkat's hive.

"_Vriska has a point. We need to be patient,_" mom said.

"I know!" I didn't need to tap my cane on the ground to know where I was going. The nice thing about anger is that you breathe a lot and I could smell _everything_. Including the atrocious smelling brown the town was covered in. Finally, we got to the hive and I banged on the door. "Karkat!" I yelled. I had to tell him that I was going, because if I didn't, he'll flip his shit and probably hate me again for a while. Although, I do have mixed feelings about him going with me. Worst case scenario, he could die. Best case scenario, we could kill that winged guy and get our lusii back.

"What the hell!" he yelled. "Terezi?"

"I'm going to get the lusii back," I stated simply, "and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Good," he replied, "because I was going to go if you weren't."

"You could die," I sneer.

"So could you." He waved me inside. I waved in Kanaya's general direction. "I'm not letting any matesprit of mine go alone." He too grabbed his sun gear and weapon.

"Karkat," Kanaya called.

"Yeah?"

"If you do not return in a week, I will be forced to gather a search party."

"God, you're such a hoverlusus. We'll be back by then," he assured her.

"Have fun!"

"Bye, Kanaya!" I waved again.

Karkat whistled, summoning Crabdad, who came skittering. Mom landed and I got on her back. Karkat joined me and mom picked up Crabdad in her talons. "Okay, mom, let's go!"

We flew past all of the islands we charted. It took hours, but we relished in the silence of the wind blowing right through our armor. I had to put on my sun gear to stay warm this high up. After a while, I spoke up, bored of relishing.

"This takes me back."

"To when we were young and inexperienced?"

"To when we hated each other."

"Don't remind me."

"Aww, someone's embarrassed."

"Of course I am! Worse, I'm ashamed!" He paused, waiting for me to respond. To be honest, I was taken aback. When I didn't say anything, he said, "You probably figured out that I hated you because you were not exactly on par with everyone else, even though you were, and I was extremely jealous." I leaned back against him. Even though it was a long time since he allegedly hated me, it still hurt because I can't seem to remember a time when I didn't feel red for him. "I have red blood, which is really dangerous because no one has red blood, and I had something to prove. My mantra was that whatever I was dealt, I could work with it."

"And you did."

"Yeah. I got a joke weapon, but I was able to work with it. I got a lusus in the most embarrassing way possible, but I got over it. I went from average to one of the best."

"_Terezi, I beseech you not to ask what you're about to ask._"

"So who is the best?" I asked, ignoring her.

"Feferi," he answered plainly.

"W-what?!" I sputtered. I couldn't believe my ears!

"It's her damn lusus!" he said defensively. "I'm a realist, remember?"

Understandable. I blew a raspberry anyway. "Fine, who's the second best?"

"I'd get thrown to my death if I didn't know that you have been since the beginning."

"Would you still say it was me if we weren't flying at 15,000 feet?"

"The fuck do you think? Why are you asking me such stupid questions? It's not like you need validation."

"You're right. And don't think for a second that you do, either."

"_Terezi, below._"

I leaned away from Karkat and sniffed. "Karkat, do you see a fire? We're smelling smoke here."

I felt him shift to look at the ground. I haven't tasted any clouds, so the sky should be pretty clear.

"Yeah, looks like another village," he answered. "Half of it is in smolders."

"We should take a look," I said.

"_Agreed_."

We circled down and around until we got to the outskirts of the village, right outside some houses that were destroyed. Fortunately, the trolls there were alive, but I didn't smell a single living lusus. There were very few scattered about the entire town, all slain. I can only assume that the rest of the lusii were taken. What a horrible injustice. And I am going to get it for them.

"What the hell happened here?" Karkat muttered. He and Crabdad skitter about.

"The fires all seem to be caused by the hives collapsing," I speculated. "It's like something smashed them down from above, and then the flames spread from the firepits to the rest of the hive." Every hive had been flattened, but only half of them had burned to the ground. Well, clos_er_ to the ground.

"Yeah, but what on Alternia's—"

"You!" someone interrupted. They must be one of the survivors. I listened closer and I could hear a faint hum of voices arising from around us, most of them coming from the smoking town down the hill.

"Us?" I asked.

"Who are you and what business do you have with us? Can't you see we've been through enough tonight?" Wow, what a grouch.

"I'm Terezi Pyrope and this is Karkat Vantas," I said, introducing myself right off the bat. They were incredibly rude, but that was no reason to be uncivilized. "We're from a village about three hours north of here. We were flying overhead and we were curious. What happened here?"

"Some monstrously-sized tentacle lusus destroyed it," another one informed us, "it happened just this evening."

I turned my head slightly in Karkat's direction, scrunching my eyebrows. That sounded eerily like Feferi's lusus. But she couldn't have done such a thing. She's too nice. Come to think of it, I didn't really know Feferi that well. Could she have? No! She may be the highest caste, but would never order the killing innocents.

Suddenly, the villagers all started talking at once. "Yeah, but they had some big troll ordering it around!" "They came on a fleet of pirate ships!" "They took our lusii away!" "Whichever ones resisted were slaughtered like milkbeasts."

"I think one guy had wings?" "Bullshit!" "No, they were orange! I think…"

I definitely heard that. I grabbed Karkat. "Hey, the guy that took Arthour and Pounce had orange wings."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Positive! My nose never lies!" It may have been dark that night, but that didn't mean I couldn't smell in it. I turned back to the crowd, addressing them. "Where did they go? Which direction?"

They hushed immediately. "You're not thinking of chasing them, are you?"

One of the others piped in, "The biggest one was definitely the Grand Highblood." Her voice was aged, like a wise old troll, obviously the village leader. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"What would the Grand Highblood want with our lusii?" Karkat asked. "And how do we get him to give them back?"

"I'm sure we can take him," I added. "I have a dr—"

"No!" she insisted. "There's no fighting with the Grand Highblood! He rules the land, all of it!"

A little kid spoke up. "I heard he told Her Imperious' own lusus to eat her!" He then was overcome with giggles and told to shut up by an annoyed troll, probably his guardian.

"Impossible," Karkat deadpanned. "No one can control a lusus that size."

"Maybe so," the old troll said, "but I assure you, you can't just go up to him and pick a fight and expect to win." Then she sighed and pointed out to the ocean, straight into the path of the green moonrise.

"_I'm sensing a lot of mistrust. We should leave,_" mom informed me. I nodded to her.

"We'll do our best to get them back!" I shouted as I got onto mom's back. Karkat joined me and mom picked up Crabdad, and once again, we were off.

* * *

><p>"We should fly closer to the ground," Terezi suggested, "and a little slower, too. We're getting close, I can feel it."<p>

We had found another unknown land mass in the path of where the old lady pointed. From what I could tell, the entire village consisted entirely of lowbloods. And the elder mentioned a lusus that sounded like Feferi's lusus. I'm pretty sure Feferi is too nice to give an order to destroy an entire town of lowbloods just for some lusii. As far as I know, she had a hard-on for common troll folk, much to Eridan's dismay. I don't feel sorry for him. But I guess we should be grateful that because our village is so diverse. We've never really had any serious problems amongst each other… well, except for Mindfang…

"Karkat?"

"What?"

"I'm getting a lone dark spot to the left. I think it's a boat."

I turned my head and sure enough, there was a boat coming up on our left, and it seemed oblivious to our existence. It had brown sails, so it definitely looked illegitimate.

"It might be pirates."

"Her Imperious should have gotten rid of any unauthorized crews." In oral training, we were taught that any sails not flying her colors were deemed unfit for water and destroyed promptly by her Gl'bgolyb. Feferi told us that there were many Gl'bgolybs on the bottom of the ocean, but they don't come up very often, even for the lusus-searching events. Feferi however, never learned to avoid them, because apparently they're extremely territorial. She was too curious for her own good and was nearly swallowed up by one of them, only to be tamed by said troll. That was about four, maybe three sweeps ago. "Besides, it might just be merchants."

_Boom!_

"Those aren't merchants! Hang on!" Terezi yelled as Pyralspite rolled in midair. I checked on Crabdad, who was still hanging on, although he looked a tad freaked. "They shot something at us!"

_Boom!_

Then I saw it. It was a rather large net, big enough for the four of us. Pyralspite dodged the second one, too. I squinted at the trolls on the ship, one with the largest motherfucking horns I have ever seen, sticking straight out and up, just like Tavros. He must be one of those castes that can communicate with lusii. Either that, or Tavros is a freak of nature. But if he can, he can easily steal someone's lusus. Literally everything about this premise is so wrong, not to mention against Viking law: You can't just steal lusii. Of all the other shit we steal from each other, lusii are the only things kept sacred. "We need to split up!"

That snapped me back to reality. "No! I'm not leaving!"

"Karkat, we almost got hit that time! We'll all be captured if we stay together!"

Nookfisting highbloods, as much as I hated it, I agreed. "Fine, Get close to the water and drop us off! Meet me at Gnarly Buttooth by sunrise!" That was one of the islands we "discovered" and named.

"Okay!" Pyralspite dove down, then spread her wings to coast us closer to the water. She let Crabdad go and with a splash, I dove in after him.

I didn't even have to wait five seconds in the frigid water before Crabdad snatched me and swam underwater. I can hold my breath for a good while now, and when I had him resurface a few minutes later, we were far on the other side of the boat. Yes! We lost them! A victory for once. I scanned the sky for a white dragon, and compared our locations when I did.

The boat was ignoring me and heading straight for them.

"Fuck!" I yelled, pounding the water with my fist. I had Crabdad pull me closer to the boat to try to see if there were any weak spots, but the bottom was entirely metal, and impossibly waterproof. It looked like the parts above the water were mostly wood. I squinted in the salty water, trying not to lose any air by scoffing angrily to myself. It was difficult. I should also be used to opening my eyes in salt water, but I'm not.

About half an hour later, we reached Gnarly Buttooth, extremely exhausted. Crabdad screeched and began clawing at a tree. Of all the weird shit I've seen him do, that was probably the weirdest. He can approve or disapprove of hive décor, he knows exactly when to gather wood for the perigee seasons, and looks around like he wants to understand what is going on, but just can't talk. He screeches again and I reconsider the "not being able to talk" part. He talks plenty. I don't have the patience to even try to understand it yet.

It turns out that sunrise was a lot longer away than I initially thought. After about two hours of watching the stars go by, I got bored and started to nod off. Crabdad interrupted that by screeching loudly while hovering above me. I yelped and screeched back at him, "What do you want?!"

He skittered down to the shore and presented me a pile of fish. I usually don't like fish, because it makes me think of a certain seadweller that flirted with Terezi that one time and I nearly ripped off his horn. I laughed at the memory of his face. Classic me. I'm angry and I'm proud.

Angry, proud, and _bored._ I'm so bored, I could watch a primitive species evolve into gods and be entertained the entire time. Hell, I could probably even watch blood dry. I scanned the skies for the billionth time and still didn't find her, so I got up and started cooking some of the fish. Crabdad just swallowed them whole. I was so fucking hungry, I just didn't give a flying rodent's asshole with fireworks shooting out of it about how much watching him eat made me gag. I made a fire and gorged three of the fish onto a stick. I don't cook so I'm not exactly sure if you're supposed to skin them before or after you cook them. At least my sickle is clean to do it. As I sat there waiting for the fish to cook, I watched the purple moon rise in front of me, the waves crashing softly not twenty feet from me.

I just hope Terezi's okay.

* * *

><p>"<em>I can't shake them!<em>"

"Can we fly higher?" I asked, out of breath.

"_I wouldn't, especially since you're already exhausted._" She sent me some images of me passing out but I ignored them.

"I'll be fine!" I was convincing myself more than her, but it's not like I'll ever let her know that.

"_Hang tight, and tell me if I'm going too high._" I nodded against her scales.

And I did. We sped straight up and I hung around her neck for dear life. I would really kill for some goggles so my eyes won't dry out. Or maybe a whole facemask. No wait, then I wouldn't be able to smell anything. In any case, I'm not sure if it was the dryness or the lack of air, because I started to get really sleepy.

I heard more cannon fire and felt the wind from the nets whizzing by, and the next thing I knew, I felt nothing but wind, not even mom. I came to my senses immediately. Somehow, I had let go of mom. I started to panic, and because the wind whooshed by so loud and so fast, I couldn't hear or smell a thing. I grabbed at the air, shouted for mom… and finally landed on something large and firm. It was a little big to be a neck, so maybe I landed on mom's wing or her butt. I started slapping the armor there, thanking her under my breath. I definitely need a seatbelt or something. No more riding bareback, no sir!

"_Terezi, that's not me,_" she growled menacingly. I could feel her anxious thoughts fill my thinkpan.

My eyes shot open and I drew in a sharp breath. She was right. Whatever it was, it felt like mom, but it didn't smell right. It was very similar, but it wasn't her. Was I on some other flying lusus? I could smell mom clear as air flying next to us, but whatever it was, it was wearing a lot more armor than mom was, and she barely wore any in general, even during competitions.

"_Why did you let go? I warned you not to let me go so high._" She changed from anxiety to worry, and I felt like a total asshole.

"_I'm so sorry! I blacked out before I got the chance,_" I thought back to her. I felt the wind die down some more, and I wanted to slide off of whatever I was riding on and back onto mom, but then I felt a hand keeping me in place. I wriggled myself away, trying to see who was with me. What I did smell was a white skull-shaped mask on a body that was covered head to toe in bright red and a dirty blue. I took another whiff and the dirty blue honed into the distinct scent of… my own blood color? Was I bleeding all over a stranger? Was mom?

They produced some sort of stick weapon and held it around my front, across my forearms and stomach. I've been in worse situations on land; I could easily flip this person over but that would send us both flying to our deaths, and I can smell mountains racing not very far below us. Mountains everywhere. They seemed to go on for miles.

"Shh," was all the person said. I already couldn't tell if they were male or female because of their heavy armor, and the generic hushing sound didn't help.

We must have circled the mountains or gone farther inland, because the sound of booming cannons had long left my eardrums. Everything was brown, brown, brown. Not even a good brown, but more like piles of useless mud clods. It was dark and reflecting green moonlight, so that made it even worse. Either that, or they were covered in moss, which implies a rainy environment.

"_Terezi, have you figured out what you're riding on?_"

Discreetly, I wiggled my hand and stuck it in between the armor to touch the texture of the ferocious flying beast, and found scales. No way.

"_Yes, you are correct,_" she confirmed my suspicions. It's another dragon.

Suddenly, we're easing our way down.


	4. Chapter 3

I just about screamed like a starstruck grub when we arrived to a cave full of dragons. I could tell by the various red dots illuminating the slight mist in the air. The taste of mist plus red is amazing. However, the way I was dropped off was less than par: I was literally dropped and forced to go into the cave by someone with a prodding object.

"Move," they said in a gruff voice. As I entered the cave, I heard mom hissing and roaring at the other dragons. If I told you what she was saying to them, then this story wouldn't have a T rating. If I told Karkat, he would applaud and give her a medal. And Karkat's not a clapping person.

Then I heard them. Felt them. Felt their emotions, their memories, and even heard some of their thoughts. I wanted to clamp my hands over my ears, but they weren't coming from around me. It was so loud, loud, loud! The last time I was yelled at like this, I was cutting mom free of her net. But since then, I had been more formally trained in the mental arts. In the past, it came so natural to me that sometimes I did it without trying, like I did when I met mom. Now, I could barely hear myself think. There were so many happy times that I never had, in memories and minds that weren't a troll's. There was maybe one instance where I let myself tear up, and that was when a rainstorm had washed away some small eggs a dragon was trying to hatch. I always figured they'd have huge eggs because of how big they grew to be. Nope. They were barely bigger than grub eggs, maybe even the same size.

My preventative mental training consisted of two parts: think of something repetitive, then think of nothing at all. I thought of Karkat's hair and mentally counted all of the hairs on his head one by one until the voices and feelings went away. I'm sure they were still trying, but I can't tell. I went right up to the closest one and did the same thing I did with mom, trying to tame it, to ease its insecurities somehow by showing I wasn't going to hurt them. The dragon sniffed my hand and huffed.

"Impressive," an unknown older female said from behind me. I assumed she was the one in the gruff voice that brought me here. She sat on a large rock with her prodding thing in her hand. I turned to where the voice was coming from. "Most trolls don't last five minutes before I have to put them out of their misery. Looks like you handled yourself just fine."

"Who are you?" I asked. The deafening silence of her answer told me that I should have recognized her just by her looks. I cleared my throat. "Sorry, I'm blind, I can't really see if you're on a wanted poster or not." Unless I lick her face. But she probably wouldn't appreciate that. Come to think of it, I haven't really licked or heard of any wanted posters in the village ever, because we act like decent gentletrolls.

She sighed. It's not annoyed. It had a melancholic tone to it, though. She removed her mask, which had covered up her horns with some kind of fabric, maybe canvas. They smelled just like…

My eyes widened.

"Redglare?!" I practically shouted.

* * *

><p>Sunrise came right on time. Terezi didn't. I put on my sun gear and called Crabdad. He wasn't far, just fishing. I managed to take a nap right there on the beach, too. Maybe she was on another part of the island? No, she would have circled before she landed and found me. I snarled and think about ordering him to get into the water. I hate swimming in the daytime, because then I'd be an easy target for seadwellers. I've heard stories from Eridan and people like his ancestor and the Condescension taking slave prisoners and setting their lusii free. In some part of my imagination, speculation leads me to believe that had happened to Mindfang. Then I remember that I don't care.<p>

Alone, I go up the mountains instead. The island is basically round with a couple of mountains, and a perfect line of cliffs splitting the two ranges, like someone had taken an axe to it. There is a short river going down the middle, filled with rocks. Terezi and I figured out that the water was fresh, but there's literally zero vegetation on the island at all, which led us to believe that there was something wrong with it. I looked down into the gorge and saw just the river. I got to the highest mountain and looked out to the ocean. Nothing. Skies? Zip. I stayed up there for about three hours before resorting something I never would have dreamed I would EVER resort to, even if they were the only ones on the planet that could help.

It turns out that after half an hour of self-bickering, they were the only trolls on the planet that could help. I raced down the mountain, back to Crabdad, and we head back to our village. On the way, I run into Feferi and Eridan, amazed that I didn't die by deranged seadweller lusus. She didn't need sun gear apparently. I squinted in the sun. It was about midday now.

"Hey, Karkat!" she chirped. "I thought you were with Terezi!"

"Long story," I countered, exhausted at her peppiness, "I need to get her back."

"Glub!" she gasped. "Get her back?"

"Long story! Just get us there!"

"Okay, okay! Let me get grumpy gills." She turned and yelled, "ERIDAN!" Then she smiled at me. I want Terezi back. At least she calls me names to me face.

When we finally get back, I called all the teams to the arena.

"Why are we up so late?" Vriska complained.

"Where is Terezi?" Kanaya asked.

"I can't believe I came down the mountain for _you_," Sollux said, "I thought thith wath about Terezi."

"Shut you pie holes and listen!" I ordered. "We were attacked by unauthorized pirates three hours south." Some of them muttered to each other, speculating that I left her behind. Instead of reacting to them, I did the mature thing and kept on talking. "She led them away, but before that, we found an entire village that had been decimated by a large lusus of unfathomable size, all of their lusii stolen or killed. Now, we know for a fact that they were the same ones who stole Pounce De Leon and Arthour." I glanced at Nepeta and Equius, both itching for a fight. "I don't know where Terezi is, but I have a good idea of where she might have gone." More like a vague direction, but it's better than nothing, right?

"What do you want?" Sollux asked.

"I need help. Preferably from someone who knows how to sail." If we have any chance of winning, we're going to need our lusii. But as valuable as Vriska's Spidermom might be, we might not be able to transport her, though. I could even tolerate Eridan if it meant getting Terezi and the lusii back. The others seemed to be agreeing with me, nodding their heads and coming up with battle strategies.

Then Vriska chimed in. "Tell us the catch, Karkat!" she taunted. That silenced everyone.

_Fucking Vriska,_ I thought to myself. I gritted my teeth and said, "We have reason to believe that the Grand Highblood might be in on it."

"Oh, hell no," Eridan said. "Are you crazy?!" What? I thought he _liked_ crazy!

"Look, if we want to get our lusii back, then we need to negotiate with him!" Tavros and Aradia were the first to turn away. "Hey!"

"Uh, look Karkat, it's not that we don't want to get them back," Tavros started to say. He didn't finish, but turned to Aradia instead, eyes pleading.

"They mean more than anything to us," Aradia said. "We just don't think we can win by ourselves."

"She's right," Equius agreed, "as much as I strain to admit, coming from a lowblood."

"Thank you, Equius," she said with a wink. Did they have a blackrom going on or something?

"I'm out, too," Sollux decided, "Come on, Biclopth." And at that, he plodded away.

"Some help you guys are," I mumbled. I addressed the rest of them: "As for the rest of you yellow-bellied suckers, who wants to go on a suicidal mission to get back our friends?"

Either they were all paralyzed with fear, or they were staying to help. Eight of us: myself, Nepeta, Kanaya, Vriska, Equius, Gamzee, Eridan and Feferi. Joy.

"Good. Anyone know how to drive a ship?"

Vriska raised her hand. "I do."

"You know how to drive?"

"No, but I know someone who does," she said with disdain. No. "And we have to break her out of prison to do it."

Many a sleeping guards later, courtesy of Vriska, we got to her prison cell.

"Well, well, well," Mindfang sneered, arms crossed. "If it isn't the motley crew of all the castes coming to rescue the lusii." Of course she can read out minds. Either that, or the guards have been informative chatterboxes. "What's the occasion for this most honored visit?"

"We need your boat," I said. Vriska nudged me hard with her arm.

"He means your ship," she said. Oh right, because pirates are stingy about that stuff.

"Oh?" The adult raised her eyebrow. "Are we going on an adventure?"

"We're going to get our lusii back from the Grand Highblood." I hated wasting time, so I cut right to the case. Her expression fell.

"Sorry, you're on your own." She slumped back into her pile of hay. They don't give prisoners slime around here. It keeps the people around here from committing any crimes.

"Why, you—!"

"I'd rather die than negotiate with that madman."

"Terezi's missing!"

She laughed. "Sure, like that'll get me to help you."

"I'm going to kill you!"

"Karkat, no!" Vriska said, she and Nepeta grabbing my arms.

"You raised her, you bitch!"

She stood up. "Look here, you little shit," she said, waving her finger, "I never cared for her, remember? You're deluding yourself if you think I'm going to help because you lost her." I glared at her, still held back by my arms. She's lying. She did care at some point. It may have been because of her blood color or her dragon, but no troll in their right mind would tolerate a grub as annoying as Terezi for seven sweeps and not feel _something_. As much as I wanted this bitch to die for breaking Viking law for Dragonmom, there are worse offenders out there actually _killing_ them. They're much worse than smallfries like Mindfang.

"Fine," I said, shrugging out of their grip. I cracked my neck. "You're just a smallfry compared to them and you're scared."

"Me? The great pirate Marquise Spinneret Mindfang? _Scared?!_" She grabbed the bars and shook them. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"You just can't compare to lusus murderers like the Grand Highblood and his orange-winged henchman," I taunted.

"Orange winged henchman?" Her anger melted away, turning into pure smugness. "You didn't tell me anything about an orange-winged henchman." She smiled, looking into the far distance. "That little…" She chuckled. What the hell. She focused back on us. "Get me out of here. I'll sponsor your little trip. Don't blame me if you die in the process."

* * *

><p>I had so many questions. I met with mom again, who came tearing down the cave and about to kill everyone in sight. I calmed her down and turned my attention back to—I still couldn't believe it—Redglare. Must resist urge to lick her face. The torches on the wall cast shadows on her face that don't give me a clear picture.<p>

"_Terezi, no,_" mom warned. She walked over to me, surrounding me with her tail and draping a wing around us.

I shot her a look. "_I know, but I just want to see her better._"

"Are you two communicating?" Redglare asks.

"Yes? I know it's weird, but—"

"It's actually quite typical," she interrupted.

"What?"

"That's what makes dragons so special," she continues, removing the armor from her own dragon, which I can only assume is her lusus. "There are many different types. For instance, the dragons we ride are part of the pyralspite species."

"_Mom, did you know this?_" I asked her.

"_I had a vague idea, yes. I vaguely remember a troll teaching me Trollian as well. She may have been this one, but it was so long ago._" I mentally balked as well as I could. She never told me any of this. She must have picked up on that because then she explains, "_I did not think it was all that important._" Well, it's my heritage, so it was pretty important to _me_.

"Your lusus is about eight sweeps old," Redglare said suddenly. "Although for a dragon, that is very mature indeed. They need to mature rapidly if they are to survive in this rapidly expanding world."

I tried to focus, but the information that both mom and Redglare were giving me had clouded my thinkpan and churned together into mush. I know about as much about dragons as mom does, and even then it was pretty limited. "Can I just ask you a bunch of questions willy-nilly?"

Redglare chortled softly. "Sure, but follow me if you can. I know these caves like the inside of my mask, but I don't want you to get lost."

It was my turn to chortle. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I'm blind remember? I kind of don't need light to see, thanks to mom. She taught me to smell and taste things, instead of using just hearing and touch." I grinned, trying to give her my toothiest smile.

"Good." I heard footsteps, and the colors whooshing towards me indicated she was heading straight for my cane. I didn't react fast enough and she took it.

"Hey!" I reached for it.

"I thought you didn't need this?" Was she testing me? It wasn't appreciated.

"My sword is in there! I'm basically naked without it!"

"Your sword?" I continued to grab at it, but she held it out of my reach. How tall was she exactly? I heard it being unsheathed. "Very sleek." She handed it back to me, saying nothing else about it.

Despite the awkwardness of the response, I started my questions anyway. "Why did you leave?" Get the heavy ones out of the way first. Everyone else in the village knew where their ancestors were. Feferi's was ruling the seas, Dualscar was a pirate, the GHB was kidnapping lusii, Darkleer and Disciple were together in a highblood village, Mindfang was in prison, Dolorosa and Psioniic lived in the village with us, Signless and the Handmaid were serving a prison sentence on the green moon, and Summoner was… wait, where was the Summoner? I guess Tavros and I had something in common besides Fiduspawn.

She sighed sadly, starting down the tunnel. I had to jog to keep up. "I did want to stay, watch you grow. Everything happened so fast after I discovered the Grand Highblood's schemes to overthrow the matriarchy. Yes, this has been many sweeps in the making. In any case, he eventually found out that Mindfang had been in hiding and I tracked her down. She blew me off, but I stayed, trying to knock some sense into her. In my naivety, she had planned to take my lusus for her own. Envy is a terrible disease. At the time, it had been too late and I had already…"

"Eugh," I shuddered. All the while we were covering a lot of ground through the tunnels, mom and Redglare's lusus trailing behind.

"So I begged Dolorosa to watch over you, to take you in, but she couldn't promise me anything. She said she already promised to take care of another's grub as well, but she would do what she could. Did she manage to keep you in her care by any chance?" She stopped, probably facing me. I was breathing in all sorts of things, and the colored sweat on her face showed me her hopeful expression.

I shook my head. "No, I didn't even know her all that well." I gulped, not wanting to make her feel guilty for leaving. I had to tell her, but I'm generally not the sort of troll to lay down the truth in a way that can be easily swallowed. I'm more of a harsh truth kind of person. "Mindfang took me in."

Redglare's face did not change. "Oh." She turned away, but I could still smell it, which turned into disappointment with a hint of anger. She kept going, thankfully slowing her pace. "My pyralspite took me here, to an island that had been a safe haven for dragons for eons." She stopped, feeling around on a dead end.

"So there are more?" I asked, trying to contain my excitement.

She turned to me, the anger gone and a smile replacing it. "Much more. This is the only island on the planet that is perfectly sustainable for dragon life." She rolled the wall away, letting bright light shine through. It turned into greens and pinks and blues that I have never smelled before. I could also smell the undeniable sheen of millions of scales in the sunlight, indicating hundreds, maybe thousands of dragons. I nearly fainted at the nerdiness of it all. We put on our sun gear hoods and walked into it, letting our lusii through.

"What other types of dragons are there?"

"First, let me explain the pyralspite." She walked past me and strolled right up to mom. "But before we get into that, I am proud to say that I do in fact recognize yours. Did you name her by any chance? I'm getting a feeling that you don't call her by 'pyralspite'. I call mine Firefleet." I read Mindfang's journal countless times, so I snorted to hide my laughter. Mom laughed in her "huff-huff" sort of way. Redglare took offense. "Are you laughing at her name?"

"No, no!" I said between breaths. "Mindfang kept a journal of her adventures, and I just thought of something funny from it." I calmed down. "I'm not that creative in naming her, but I did name her what she was: Dragonmom. Or Mom for short."

It was her turn to laugh now. "Very thoughtful." She turned back to mom. "Mom is the descendant of Firefleet."

Bullshit. "How can you tell?"

"I can tell by her eyes. They both have a bright red color, very distinct from other reds. The colors are passed from generation to generation, and pyralspites usually only lay one egg in their entire lives. It's what makes them rare, even among dragons."

"_Did you know that, mom?_"

"_I knew that the second I laid eyes on Firefleet in the air today. She's not speaking to me, which is extremely vexing._"

"_Why isn't she speaking to you?_"

"_I may or may not have run away about a sweep ago and never came back._" She read my guilt coming on and reassured me, "_Keeping me with you at the village did not refrain my return, so you can stop feeling guilty about my choices._" Her words made me feel a little better, but it didn't stop the guilt entirely.

"The other types of dragons out there have different mental abilities. For instance, pyralspites can read minds and communicate. Other lusii have similar abilities, such as altering moods and thoughts. " She went on for about an hour just about dragon abilities alone before finally ending it with, "The Gl'bgolyb lusus has all three: reading, communicating, and altering. It makes them very formidable. You can also argue that all lusii can communicate, if you count their screeching and various noises as speaking."

"Is that why the Grand Highblood wants the lusii? To control them?"

"Albeit a simple answer, the reasoning behind it is very complicated. From the times I knew him, I could barely understand it myself."

Wait, what?! "You knew the Grand Higblood?"

Redglare hesitated, clearing her throat. "He was my matesprit for a time." My eyes must have bulged right out of my skull. "Additionally, it's embarrassing how late I broke it off with him." No. "It was actually right before I broke it off with Mindfang. I had a lot of issues back then." _No._ "To stick it to him, I even took the—"

"_Terezi, calm down,_" mom said.

"Gamzee?!" I shouted. I took a page from Karkat's book of swears: "Sweet bulge-licking grubsicles, no!"

"Oh, so he survived then?"

I collapsed on the ground, curling into a ball. I can't believe I'm related to that guy. "Leave me alone to die."

* * *

><p>Breaking Mindfang out was easy. Submitting to her demands were another thing entirely. She promised not to control any of us, but she did knock out the trolls that were guarding her ship. It was in a huge-ass warehive on the water. It was dusty, but she said it would be fine. Fortunately, it was also big enough to house the rest of us, save for Eridan and Feferi who went on their own for god-knows-what reason, and the lusii we had left. Of course, Spidermom and Gl'bgolyb were too big, Mother Grub had to stay behind, and Seagoatdad and Seahorsedad could swim. That just left Crabdad. Did I mention that naming our lusii these ridiculous names all started because Terezi named hers "Dragonmom"? Yeah, they stuck after that. <em>Very<em> creative of them.

Right before we set sail, Mindfang came up behind me. "Scared yet?" she jeered.

"Not a chance," I fired back. Finally, we were getting a move on. Terezi could be unconscious for all we know. The farther my imagination took me, the worse my mental stability became. "Let's set sail already!"


	5. Chapter 4

"Aw, why so green, Karkat?" Mindfang said, standing right behind me. I'm going to be sick. Correction, I am already sick. And besides, I can't turn green. I hurled over the side of the boat for the hundredth time.

"Fuck off," I said, wiping my mouth. This is going to be a long night.

* * *

><p>"There's no negotiating with the Grand Highblood, Terezi," Redglare said.<p>

I groaned loud and long in the most exaggerated way I could. "That's what the elder at the other village said," I told her. "Are you sure?"

* * *

><p>"Why couldn't we go with the others, Fef?" Eridan nervously asked his moirail. He was on Seahorsedad while she rode on one of Gl'Bgolyb's many tendrils. They were going pretty fast, and in another direction entirely from the others. Feferi hadn't told him anything, but he trusted her nonetheless.<p>

"I'm going to glub to one that can kelp!" she answered. "My ancestor is dangerous, but she'll know what to do."

* * *

><p>By her brief silence, I could tell that she was looking at me like I had suddenly developed scales and grown wings.<p>

"I already tried what you're thinking, and he became even angrier than before." She sighed. "Instead, I have focused on sustaining Alternia's dragon population."

"_They haven't been discovered yet,_" Mom told me. I agreed, but it was only a matter of time in my mind.

"And are you going to keep doing it?" I asked. "Despite all the turmoil going on?"

"Unfortunately, I have to. For the good of the dragons. When they get to a certain number, or if they are discovered here, _then_ I will fight back."

So many things were going through my mind right now. I'd stopped being one who doesn't fight back the day I decided to quit being Mindfang's smithshop apprentice. I researched. I made traps. I trained with my weapon. If I didn't do any of that, I'd be spending my days regretting everything and being alone. I wouldn't have been friends with anyone besides Vriska. I decided that if I didn't put myself out there, I'd be considered a coward fit for culling.

"Listen, Terezi." I heard her step closer until she was right in front of me. "I know I'm acting like a coward, but sometimes it's better to take time and be prepared than to rush into things." I let out a short breath, then hung my head.

"I'm just saying we could do better," I said. And I'm going to. As soon as I can get my ancestor to realize that, too.

"_Terezi, what are you planning?_" Mom asked.

"_Something injudicious, probably,_" I thought back to her. She growled with concern. But if Redglare wasn't going to do anything, I would.

"Before you leave, I would like to show you something else." Redglare then took my hand and I followed her deeper into the naturally protected forest.

* * *

><p>I decided not to leave the main deck for fear of hurling inside Mindfang's ship. Gamzee, who apparently can't handle seafaring vessels, did that a few hours ago and now he's hanging upside-down off the port bow by his ankles. I've had to chase Crabdad away on multiple occasions because he kept wanting to cut the rope. Unfortunately, we need all the power we can get, so I couldn't just let my lusus do that to Gamzee. It's like society is making us take on these lusi to force our generation to build character.<p>

Thankfully, a mountainous island appears in the distance. I was pretty sure Terezi and I hadn't mapped it yet, so this might be a good place to start. I rushed to Mindfang at the helm and yelled, "Land ahoy or something!

"I know, I've been heading towards it on purpose," she answered with a hint of snark. Did she know it was there or something?

"How?"

"I've been sailing since before you were hatched, I know an island on the horizon when I see one, young one." She chuckled.

I decided to be the mature one for once and wobbled back to my place, trying to keep Gamzee from a watery grave. As soon as we got close enough, I whistled for Crabdad and we dove into the water. He was waiting for me on the rocky shore. I thank Kanaya for the waterproofing oil she soaked my clothes and leather in when she made them, because being heavy with water is annoying as fuck.

"I'm scouting ahead!" I shouted behind me.

"Oh, no you're not!" Kanaya yelled. I rolled my eyes. I stopped Crabdad and turned to see Kanaya and Mindfang lowering a lifeboat. I changed my mind. I turned back around and prepared to brave the wilderness. They'll catch up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a perfectly round boulder twice as tall as Crabdad at the base of the closest cliff. None of the other rocks around it matched, which were all coarse and angled. I headed toward it.

As I approached it, I saw what was behind it: a cave. It was just big enough for Mom to get through. I'm pretty fucking sure this was where I needed to go. Further evidence showed claw marks and scorched walls. And that's all the evidence I need. I have no time for this shit.

* * *

><p>Eridan's going to be sick. That troll she's talking about makes him nervous, ever since he first learned about her during oral training. She's supposedly very beautiful, but as Feferi said, very dangerous.<p>

"Maybe she already knows?" he suggested.

"She de-fin-itely does!"

"Then why—"

"Because we're in a small village and we're victims, too! She has the entire planet to worry about, and if no one reports us, then whale be goners for shore!"

She has a point, he thought to himself. He took his eyes off her and saw a ship dead ahead. He signaled to her and she saw it, too. In the fog, it had dark orange sails and was facing away from them. They must be headed to the empress, too. Something was weird about this ship, though. It was missing the flag of the empress. As he looked closer at the sails, he saw no signs on them. If they had no signs, then they were pirates. He flew down to Feferi to report this.

"Let's follow them anyway!"

"Why?!" Eridan exclaimed.

"To catch them by surprise!" she said with a smile.

"That's a terrible idea, Fef."

"No it's not! It'll be fin!"

"More like we'll be fin-ished."

"Fin-fished!" she corrected him.

"I don't care!" He let seahorsedad fly high behind Feferi. "You lead, then."

"Don't mind if I do!" she huffed, facing forward. When they got closer, she waved him down and said, "Give me a ride."

"Shore, why not?" he muttered. As she grabbed his hand, he moved forward so she would have room to sit. His lusus strained slightly, but managed to carry both of them.

Feferi turned back to her lusus and waves her hand, motioning her to go back down. Eridan hoped she'll be they're backup if things go awry. He doesn't think he's ready to face off with whoever owns that ship yet.

Eridan commanded Seahorsedad to flank the ship, but as they were passing over, Feferi gasps. "Fef, what?"

"He's…"

"Fef?"

"He's so hot."

He looked down. Some winged troll with horns that looked like Tavros' horns was at the helm, alone. Oh, fuck no. He looked back at Feferi, who was trying to swing both of her legs to the same side. "Fef, what the fuck are you doin'?" She slid off the saddle. "Fef!" he shouts after her.

At the sound of his voice, the other troll looked up to see Feferi falling straight for him. He took his hands off the wheel and flies up to catch her. Eridan rolls his eyes. He immediately led his lusus down to the boat and landed right after the pirate troll did.

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked. Eridan wanted to vomit. Who was this guy anyway?

"Fef, get down, we're busy," Eridan said as soon as more crew members started to reveal themselves. These people were dangerous. They could be working for the Grand Highblood. Didn't Terezi say that the guy who took Tinkerbull had wings?

"No we're not," she said, obviously distracted.

Eridan didn't have time for this. "We hawe to help the others, remember?"

"What's your name?" she asked the guy. Eridan facepalms.

"I am the Summoner, my lady," the guy replied. At least he knows how to speak to a highblood. "Where did you come from?"

"The ocean," she said dreamily. Then she batted her eyelashes. Some of the crew started whooping.

"I mean what village, my dear?"

"Oh! Whale, we're from—"

"And we're just going back!" Eridan interrupted, escaping the circle of pirates surrounding them. "We have a job to do." He tugs at Feferi's arm and the Summoner guy puts her down.

The Summoner quirked a brow. "A job? Well, don't let me keep you, then," he said with a wink.

Feferi practically swooned at that.

Eridan pulls her away and lifts her back onto his lusus and whispered, "Fef, we have to see your ancestor, remember?"

"Oh yeah!" she exclaimed a little too loud. She turned to the Summoner and waved with her fingers. "When we get back from Her Imperious, call me!"

"Her Imperious?" the Summoner asked. "Well, why didn't you say so? We're off to see her right now! Right, gentletrolls?" He turned to the crew, who nodded and approved vocally. He gave his attention back to Eridan and Feferi. "Why don't we stay together? Give your lusus a rest?"

"No thanks!" Eridan said. "My lusus can handle this trip just fine!"

"Eridan!" Feferi exclaimed. "Let's at least stay for some food."

He almost asked her, "_Food for who exactly?_"

"Then it's settled!" the Summoner said with a fake smile. Maybe Eridan was biased, but this guy looked like he was up to no good. "Let's get them settled in!" he ordered the crew.

And just like that, Eridan, Feferi, and Seahorsedad were captured.

* * *

><p>"Where are we going?" I asked. Redglare still said nothing, trying to lead me through the smoothest path possible, dodging roots and rocks and crevices. I heard mom and Firefleet following us, breaking branches and pushing past leaves. Mom was cursing all the bushes. We don't have gardens in our village. We have trees and ferns, grass, and cobblestone. Nothing really as dense as whatever these were called.<p>

"We're almost there," she finally said. A few moments later, we stopped at the mouth of a cave that was shaped like a large bowl. I felt the humidity and could tell there was something, rather, a lot of somethings, further in. "This is the incubation chamber."

My eyes widened. Every single egg was no bigger than my head, and I could smell hundreds of them. I could only imagine how many were farther in than I could smell. They were in various colors and had a glossy sheen, almost transparent like precious stones. I took a bigger whiff and got a glimpse of the entire cave, confirming hundreds of eggs leading into a tunnel straight ahead. It wasn't a lot, comparatively speaking.

"We had to move them last year because some were lost in a flood." I remembered that one of the memories that flashed through my mind when I first landed was the pain of losing those eggs.

"You're right," I said. Redglare had a duty here. If the Grand Highblood had that many trolls to fight for him, which might be most of the planet at this point for all we know, how would we defeat them? Not all of the dragons here were as strong or as trained to kill as Firefleet and mom.

Before I could ask Redglare about training the dragons that were already here, a familiar voice made my ear twitch.

"What the hell are these things?" the voice yelled.

"Karkat?" I whispered. I started heading towards the voice, stepping around the eggs and tapping my cane to echolocate. "Karkat!"

"Terezi!" he called back. He cursed under his breath as he came to me. "Are you okay? Did the pirates get you? And what the hell are we stepping over?" He wrapped me in a tight hug, and I hugged back.

I grinned, letting out a chuckle. "Yes, kind of, and… dragon eggs." I waited for his response, still grinning into his shoulder. He held me at arm's length. I sniffed lightly just to see his face, and what I saw was priceless.

"No way." I felt him look around, his hands still on my shoulders. "Well, whatever, we found you, and now we're going home to strategize."

"Um…" I looked back at mom and she was back at the mouth of the cave. "Before we make any rash decisions, I want you to meet someone." I brushed him away, taking one of his arms and dragging him back.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Karkat, you little imp! We told you to wait for backup!" Was that Mindfang?!

I stopped dead in my tracks and grabbed his shoulder. "You brought Mindfang?!" I asked in a harsh whisper.

It was his turn to brush me off. "We were desperate! You were gone an entire day!" he harshly whispered back. "Kanaya, Vriska, Nepeta, Equius, and Gamzee make up the rest of us, including Crabdad." Splendid! A motley crew of ignorant children! "You could have at least hired mercenaries!"

"We had no time!" He paused. "Who's that?"

I sniffed the air. Redglare had silently joined us, standing behind me. I didn't even smell her coming. For some reason, I felt uncomfortably modest. My ancestor and my matesprit, actually meeting each other.

I cleared my throat and faced her. "Karkat, this is my ancestor Redglare. Redglare, this is my m—" I couldn't say it. "My m—" Why is this happening?

Karkat sighed exasperatedly and took my hand. "Karkat Vantas. Her matesprit," he bluntly finished for me. My face flushed on its own volition. Would she approve of this courtship? Why was I even worrying about this at such a pressing time? The world was about to be taken over by a deranged laughsassin juggalo and I'm worried about whether my idyllic-yet-absent ancestor approves of my choice of quadrants!

"Hmm," was all Redglare said. I couldn't tell if that was bad or good.

At this point, Mindfang's derogatory monologue had reached the ears of normal troll hearing and I heard Redglare stiffen and take in a short breath behind me. Considering their relationship before, I expected she would be surprised or maybe nervous. I dragged Karkat aside and held my cane out in front of him so he wouldn't interfere.

* * *

><p>What the hell is going on here? I finally found Terezi and she yelled at me? At least she introduced me to her ancestor. I was sweating bullets. I kept my cool somehow.<p>

"Terezi, what's going on?" I asked her as Mindfang came into view. I looked at Redglare as it happened. She stayed silent, looking down her nose at the pirate. I couldn't read her expression. I looked at Mindfang and she just stared.

"Redglare?" she muttered.

Terezi turned to me slightly and whispered, "They had a complicated past." She swallows. "She was black with Mindfang and… that's how I was created."

Oh. "Fuck…" That's really fucking complicated. "Did you know?" Dolorosa said that sometimes, adult trolls form bonds with grubs that they don't even comprehend.

Terezi shook her head. "I only just found out." She faced toward the pair again, head tilted slightly forward. I looked between the two. I could have cut the tension with my sickle.

"Mindfang," Redglare stated simply. The ex-pirate-queen approached as the ex-lagislacerator spoke. "It's certainly been a while since you tried to steal my lusus for your own."

Mindfang just shrugged.

"What is she talking about?" I asked Terezi in a hushed tone. She shushed me harshly in return.

Redglare continued. "Any reason why you stole my descendant from a worthy guardian? I requested her specifically, so you most likely convinced her in your own special way to give her to you instead." Mindfang was almost right in front of her, still somehow speechless. "Although I have to hand it to you, you made her hate you without my help. Congratulations."

Then Mindfang did the unpredictable. She actually attempted to make Redglare swoon from my point of view, like one would initiate a pailing.

Redglare wasn't having any of it. As soon as Mindfang got close, Redglare grabbed her coat with one hand, swinging her behind her, and punched her right in the face with the other, sending the blueblood flying into the light.

"Yeah!" Terezi cheered. I stifled a laugh. She chased after them to get closer.

Before I could move, I heard something insignificant. "Karbro!" I heard Gamzee call out. I narrowed my eyes and frowned, grimacing. I turned to him slowly, watching him awkwardly dodge the eggs by stumbling in every direction. One-by-one, the others revealed themselves through the tunnel.

"Oh yeah, you're all here, too."

* * *

><p>Eridan struggled in his binds. This was no way to treat a seadweller, and this brownblood knew it! Feferi was too shocked to be angry, but they will feel her wrath soon enough. His, too. He looked to Seahorsedad, who was immediately sedated. Eridan felt another twinge of anger in his entrails. They're going to pay for this.<p>

"So captain, what do ye think he'll go fer?" a crewman asked the Summoner.

"Hmm," he said, rubbing his chin, appraising the lusus. Eridan gritted his teeth. "Depends where we go. If we were to travel inland, then he'll be worth our Gl'bgolyb's weight in gold." He glanced at Eridan. "Kid, what's your blood color?"

"Fuck you!" Eridan retorted. He felt his face flushing with anger.

The Summoner puckered his lips triumphantly. "Violet, looks like."

"Violet?!" the crewman exclaimed. Good. Violet blood should strike fear into the hearts of trolls everywhere. "What if his guardian comes lookin' fer him!"

"Pssht!" Summoner scoffed. "He's hanging out with a tyrian! He has no guardian." That much was true. "The real question is, what's the descendant of our dear empress doing living in such a small village?" He sauntered to Feferi. "Young lady?"

"Stay away from her!" Eridan yelled.

The Summoner pouted at him. "She can speak for herself." He takes her chin between his fingers, and she broke out of her trance. "Where's your lusus?"

"Don't worry about my lusus!" she spat, then smirked. "My lusus eats chum like you for breakfast. Besides, we have dragons!"

Eridan drops his head. "Damn it, Fef!" he muttered under his breath.

"Dragons?!" The Summoner said with feigned worry. "Why didn't you say so!" He stood up, calling for another crew member, a highblood juggalo. "Beguiler, your time has come." He nodded and saluted. What the hell.

The Summoner whistled and a giant bird-lusus swooped in from above and took the skyward hand, taking him to god-knows-where.

"Glubbin' perfect," Eridan mumbled.

"Psst!" Feferi whispered. He looked up to see her grinning. "Duck."

No need to tell him twice. As soon as he did, about twelve tentacles came up from the sides of the boat to grab every single crew member but the Summoner and fling them overboard. Eridan could hear their spines snapping.

"What in the fu—!" The Summoner was interrupted by an tendril grabbing him and shaking him about like seaweed out of water. Feferi had cut herself loose and was working on untying Eridan. As soon as they were free, they freed a still-sleeping Seahorse lusus and Gl'bgolyb gently lifted him up and away.

"Why didn't you do that sooner?" Eridan asked as they climbed onto the ledge of the ship.

"Sorry!" she said. She held him back and turned to the water, then shouted, "I told you to only kill five of them!" The ocean rumbled in response. She put her hand down and they dove in together.

"So what are we goin' to do about that juggalo?" Eridan asked as soon as they broke the surface.

Feferi turned gray. "Dam!"


End file.
